Is helping with homework a new thing?

[LittleBiscuits]

Excuse me if this sounds ignorant but I only have preschool kids so haven't gone through this yet

I've recently seen on here various comments and other comments from colleagues about needing to devote a fair amount of time to helping kids with their homework as a standard part of parents' daily routine (I'm assuming primary school age to preteens/early teens).

But when I was younger (90s and early noughties) I never got help with my homework - I just got on with it. I'm not sure my friends did either. But from these comments I get the sense that it's normal to sit down with your kids and do their homework with them. Obviously I get that SEN kids (or really young kids) might benefit from additional support but otherwise I didn't really realise this was a thing. Am I wrong?

I was not raised in the UK so maybe that's the difference? Or possibly younger kids are just getting more homework now?

Our parents did not have to help with primary homework because there was really very little, if any.

I have supported my kids in primary with getting organised to do their homework, but not done any of it. Once in secondary, I have left them to it apart from setting rules - which mostly relate to not leaving it to the last minute. If they ask for my help I always give it - for example sometimes they are not ceratin about what the instructions mean - but I have never done any homework ever.

I think when parents get involved it undermines their confidence. I am able to say honestly to my kids that when they get good results it is all down to them.

I’m in my 30s and had help with my homework. I think it depends on what type of parents you’ve got

I never got help with my homework. My mother would sometime volunteer at school to listen to kids read.

With my kids I read to them every day from about a year old. Later, they would read to me.
We practiced math facts and spelling most days.
They're both avid readers as adults.

My eldest son is year 4, he’s 8 and his teacher last week said for parents to explain and help with homework as parents usually have different methods than teachers and it’s useful for children to be taught different methods and ways of doing things?

@Favouritefruits
i think teachers should have that in their portfolio! Strategies to help all children should be available in school.

Oh my god my parents helped with my homework a fair bit - I fucking despised maths, I have that extreme anxiety around maths thing, and my dad spent hours and days trying to help me. Also remember doing lots of fun projects in primary with my mum!

(I’m a 90s baby so don’t think it’s a new thing!)

I help my kids very begrudgingly as I don't believe homework should be set in Primary school.

My parents never read to me, nor was there any homework that I remember when I was at primary (I'm early 40's). I am a complete bookworm and academically was always in the high set for English & maths.

DD2 would only do her primary school
Homework with me at her side and lots of tears. She was fine in secondary school.

I helped DD1 quite often when her secondary school homework. DD1 helped DD2.

@Favouritefruits
Your child's teacher wants you to do her job.

Don't let her get away with that.

She needs to know if the children don't understand the material and find a way to teach them herself.

@ReadyForPumpkins

I would strongly advise you do not help to get work finished.

If your child can't finish in the reasonable time or if there are elements he or she can't understand, the teacher needs to know that, and take the time to re-visit the topic or her instructions.

Teachers can't know if their teaching is effective if parents are doing the work that was set to gauge the extent of comprehension and ability of the students. Parents completing work masks problems the teacher needs to know about.

The aim of homework is not to produce neatly written pages of correct answers. It's to provide accurate feedback about teaching.

The aim of homework is not to produce neatly written pages of correct answers. It's to provide accurate feedback about teaching.

This can't be universally true if there are schools directly asking parents to help, though, can it?

Many school homework policies will say that the aim of homework is to further consolidate classroom learning through practice.

(I've got no skin in this game - I think homework in primary is fairly pointless and see my role as mainly supporting DC to plan out their time and remember to complete it, whilst not extinguishing all their good feeling towards school because they just want a bloody break. It's not an educational high point of our weekend! But I don't think you can say as a blanket truth that homework is about the teacher checking for understanding, especially when so many schools are directly instructing parents to help, and when there are many other variables impacting homework completion or quality.)

A lot of schools state that homework is about "engaging parents with their children's learning".

I have had to delegate most of it to DH as I am too busy trying to force my own secondary students to engage with their learning.

The irony!

Yes support is needed from reception (reading) to y8 (reminding, may do better on kitchen table than in their room at that age and need structure including screen free time) IME. After y9 it falls off. I would say 10-20 mins per day in KS1, 30-40 mins KS2 and 45mins-1.5 hrs KS3.

So KS1 reading and times tables
KS2 projects, research 11+ prep
KS3- Whatever is set.

This was my experience. At primary school you or someone else will have to listen to them reading, test their spellings and times tables.

At secondary school I did have to help DD with maths because she struggled. Other than that she did her own homework. When she got to GCSEs I printed off past exam science and maths papers for her to practice on, and tested her on revision on history and geography because she wanted me to.

At A level she asked me to test her on some of her topics. This was more of a support role rather then doing it for her.

By the time she got to university she was on her own, and managed to motivate herself and get on with it without my support. She graduated with a first in a STEM degree this year.

I don't remember ever getting homework in first school (equivalent to reception to year 4) other than reading and spelling. Obviously my parents sat with me for reading. I suspect they helped a little with spelling but maybe only once or twice in a week. I remember helping my little sister who is 10 years younger than me.

Middle school (y5-8) we had homework but not tons. I don't remember needing help much, not for Fay to day stuff. Though if we found something tricky we could always ask. Tended to go to dad for maths, and mum the rest - though mum was just as good at maths so not sure why. 🤷‍♀️

Year 9 up - no help needed generally, but as above.

I do remember losing a section of gcse geography coursework. All hand done as pre computers really, I remember mum, dad and siblings helping me sort that over the weekend before handing it in!

With dd, who is now 20y:

Infants - mainly reading and spelling, with the odd maths sheet. Sat and read with her every evening, 1-2 a week for spellings, and looked over her maths sheet and then addressed any misconceptions.

Juniors - nightly homework. Continued to listen to reading but less frequently. Again, glanced over homework and address misconceptions. Assisted her if she needed it or asked.

Secondary - much more homework, but generally didn't need to much help. Dh or I would help if she asked, or if we noticed any issues. We paid for a maths tutor later on for a year or so, before GCSEs, to address misconceptions, etc. I can do most maths but hadn't heard of some of the stuff on GCSEs now!

We also provided resources - a quiet space, books, internet access where required, stationary, etc.

My parents didn’t help with my homework, but helped my sister a lot with spellings (I didn’t need help even if some of my posts here with fat fingers may suggest otherwise). But we were read to, which is the most important thing.

Primary age - my children’s school only set reading, times tables and spellings. We did spend a lot of time reading with them in the early days, and bedtime reading later on. Other schools gave huge projects that my parent friends stressed over.

Secondary age - my goal is to make them responsible and independent. It’s easier as mostly their homework is online, and I can have a quick check on an app to see if it’s completed. Occasionally I help if they’re stuck with maths. I think if they found maths challenging generally they’d need a lot more help. Still read to my youngest (age 11) at bedtime.

Some people make a meal out of everything , some are helicopter parents, and some children may struggle a little more and need more support.

From the other side. I teach infants (reception to y2).

We ask parents to read with and listen to children read at least 5 times a week, even if for just 10 minutes at a time. It's the only homework we ask to be recorded.

Spellings and maths - we have two education website/apps we subscribe too. Children can work through this in their own time, at their own pace. There is some curriculum time set aside for using these in 'choosing' times. The maths one gets certificates at various stages which are given out in assembly. The spelling one - they have lists allocated each week and have a mini test once a week in school on paper on same words too. These websites are easy ti use but do require computer/tablet/internet access. We send them home on paper too for those without.

Rest is because parents ask for it. We have an open learning menu with suggested activities linked to the topic. These can be brought in or uploaded to the learning journal and are shared during show and tell time. They aren't marked and aren't compulsory.

We have a mix of how much parents help.

The key one for us is reading.

I was never set homework in primary, and don't remember getting parental help once at secondary, although I suspect DM did help me very occasionally if I asked. She did read to me and listened to me read throughout primary, and she proofread my dissertation for me at uni.

My DCs are 6 and 8yo and receive far too much homework IMO. It is mostly busy work. I don't help as such, but it does require an awful lot of facilitating and chivvying: downloading, printing, logging them into various websites (such as TT Rockstars), ensuring they understand the random and overly complicated instructions (so complicated I usually need to read them through a few times - designed to make a boring task, such as practising number bonds, 'more fun'), digging out various random resources/materials they need, keeping their attention and momentum on the work, and finally checking that what they've produced matches the brief. The only homework I regularly directly help with is listening to reading (although DCs also do independent reading each day) and testing them on their practised spellings the day before their tests. I will help with brainstorming if the DC has hit a dead end and requests it, but this isn't too often.
I then have to spend time scanning or photographing it before uploading it to the Class Dojo app...

Kids will always benefit from having help and support rather than not.

Parents can and do just leave children to it - it's their decision - but doesn't mean it's the best thing.

Don't be ridiculous.

The teacher is suggesting the best thing for the child's learning is to have support from multiple people.

No matter how great a teacher you are, if children also have reinforcement from parents then they are going to do better than only hearing it at school.

@Abraxan that sounds quite considerate 👍

My kid's school gives so much hw!! 😵‍💫 and it's certainly not easy!! Lots of different concepts that a 5yo doesn't have.....

Also, as much as I would love to help, I have another 2 little ones to deal with.... so when I help is with a baby screaming on my lap and a toddler climbing on the table.....